14 Jan Funding Alert! Grants for Fire and Emergency Response
Department of Homeland Security – Grants for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Attention fire departments and the nonprofit organizations that support them! The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA recently opened their annual funding opportunity that assists fire departments with workforce and deployment capabilities. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program provides funding directly to eligible fire departments and nonprofit organizations that represent the interests of volunteer firefighters. The overall goal of the SAFER program is to improve local fire departments’ capacity for emergency response, resulting in a reduction in response times and an increase in the number of trained personnel available at an incident. The proposal deadline is coming up quickly on February 4, 2022.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicant eligibility varies by proposed activity type, as described in more detail below. The program supports fire departments in any of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any federally recognized tribe or tribal organization. A fire department is defined as having a formal arrangement with a state, local, tribal, or tribal authority to provide fire suppression to residents in a “geographically fixed primary first due response area.” Note that all applicants must register with SAM.gov and the FEMA grants system (FEMA GO) to submit an application, a process which can take several weeks.
What are the program details?
The SAFER program assists fire departments with meeting minimum industry and compliance standards by increasing the number of firefighters available to help communities and fulfill the traditional missions of fire departments. The program supports two different activity types:
- Hiring of Firefighters: grant funds support the hiring of new, additional fire fighters; transitioning part-time or paid-on-call firefighters into full-time positions; rehiring firefighters who have been laid off; and/or retaining firefighters facing layoff. Hiring grants have a 36-month period of performance immediately following a 180-day recruitment period (if needed). Eligible applicants are fire departments that meet the eligibility criteria described above. Organizations that represent the interests of volunteer firefighters are not eligible for this activity.
- Recruitment and Retention (R&R): grant funds support fire departments with recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters who participate and/or are trained in firefighting and emergency response. R&R grants may have a performance period of 12, 24, 36, or 48 months following a 90-day recruitment period (if needed). Eligible applicants are volunteer fire departments and the national, regional, state, local, tribal, and nonprofit interest organizations that represent their interests. Career fire departments are not eligible for this activity.
The funder expects to award 500 grants from a total funding pool of approximately $560 million. The SAFER Program does not require a cost share or matching funds.
What makes a project a good fit?
The SAFER program prioritizes bringing non-compliant fire departments into compliance in the most cost-effective manner. Each activity type also includes additional prioritization of activities and expenses, as detailed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), pages 53-67. Considerations for higher funding priority include department call volume and the size of the population served, firefighter health measures (e.g., physicals, immunizations, and annual medical exams), and EMS training and certification requirements. The R&R activity includes additional considerations, such as the applicant having a program coordinator in place, proposals with regional benefits that extend beyond the immediate response area, completed needs assessments, and more.
What if I am ready to apply? To move your project forward, take the following action steps as soon as possible:
- Review the full NOFO for additional details and project activities.
- Check out FEMA’s webpage for the SAFER program, which includes FAQs, an application checklist, applicant self-evaluation forms, and other helpful information.
- Make sure your System for Award Management (SAM) registration is active and be sure you have a Grants.gov profile. You can check your SAM status here: https://sam.gov/content/status-tracker.
- Begin the process of registering your organization with FEMA GO.
What if I need help with this application?
Contact Assel Grant Services (AGS) today! Our team can help with all aspects of preparing the application and managing the grant if you are awarded. If you would like to discuss this possibility, please contact AGS as soon as possible. Rosie Brennan, Community Engagement Specialist, will be happy to talk with you about this opportunity and provide you a quote for grant services.
What if I am not ready to apply this year?
Start preparing for next year! FEMA also has a variety of other programs and funding opportunities available that might be a good fit, including grants for hazard mitigation, preparedness, and resilience. The office’s grant page has ample resources and descriptions of available or upcoming opportunities.
How do I learn more about federal grant proposal writing, so my application is more likely to be successful?
AGS is excited to offer a Federal Grants Training Series in 2022! The series is designed to support nonprofit leaders before and during the application process. AGS also offers several on demand webinars on a variety of topics to support the full grant cycle. Check out our website to learn more and sign up for our training newsletter.
AGS blogs, funding alerts, and trainings are aligned with the Grant Professional Certification Institute’s Competencies and Skills
Competency #1: Knowledge of how to research, identify, and match funding resources to meet specific needs
Skill 1.2: Identify major trends in public funding and public policy
Skill 1.6: Identify fundable programs and projects for specific organization
Skill 1.7: Determine best matches between funders and specific programs